By: David-Uriel Ibarra, N. D., CHt.
Natural (Full-Spectrum) light is light that covers the electromagnetic spectrum from infrared through near-ultraviolet, or all wavelengths that are useful to plant or animal life; in particular, sunlight is considered full spectrum, even though the solar spectral distribution reaching Earth changes with time of day, latitude, and atmospheric conditions.
Whereas natural light is crucial to all life on earth, cool-white fluorescent lighting, also known simply as fluorescent lighting, can have detrimental effects on our health, suggests Magda Havas, a professor in environmental studies at Trent University. Frequent exposure can lead to elevated stress levels and other kinds of emotional instability. Fluorescent lighting affects mental health in part because, unlike natural lighting, it emits almost no radiation in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Exposure to blue and ultraviolet light helps the brains stabilize mood. Fluorescent lighting also emits microwaves, which, according to Havas, can have adverse health effects.
Natural Lighting
Natural light comes from the sun or the moon. About half of the sun's solar radiation lies in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum and the other half lies in the near-infrared and ultraviolet parts of the spectrum. Moonlight is obviously sunlight that strikes the moon and subsequently reaches earth.
Fluorescent Lighting
Fluorescent lighting emits light that is imbalanced in the electromagnetic spectrum. Virtually none of the radiation from fluorescent lighting lies in the ultraviolet range of the spectrum, and some lies in the microwave range between the very low-frequency long-wavelength radio waves and the infrared waves. Full-spectrum fluorescent lighting emulates sources of daylight with emissions in all parts of the visual spectrum and some in the infrared and ultraviolet ranges.
Health Effects of Natural vs. Fluorescent Lighting
Unabsorbed ultraviolet radiation can cause tissue damage, eye damage and promote skin cancer. But ultraviolet radiation also appear to have beneficial effects on well-being. Dr. John Ott, director of the Environmental Health and Light Institute in Sarasota, Florida, and a pioneer in analyzing the effects of artificial light on health, reports that mice continually exposed to the full light spectrum have longer life spans than mice that grow up under fluorescent lighting with little radiation in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Natural Light Investigations
Investigations into natural and artificial light have shown that light definitely affects the pituitary gland, as well as other areas in the midbrain and hypothalamic regions. In the early 1920's, William Rowan demonstrated that the varying seasonal lengths of the daylight was responsible for the migration of birds. In other studies conducted by Bochenek, Marburg and Gudden, it was shown that light may occasion reaction on the entire endocrine system of an animal via nerve impulses originating in the retina and reaching other areas of the brain by way of accessory optic pathways. Thus, artificial light, not being of the same quality as natural light, can play havoc with the endocrine system via the nerves.
A study was conducted involving some elderly men at a nursing home who spent most of their time indoors under the influence of unnatural lighting. They found that these men suffered a severely diminished ability to absorb calcium; yet when the lights were replaced with special bulbs designed to simulate sunlight, their calcium absorption was increased by 15% within a month. Even more disturbing research conducted by scientists has indicated that fluorescent lighting can cause genetic mutations, cancer and death in the cells of many life forms, including humans.
Aside from the facts concerning the direct negative effects of unnatural lighting; we must also consider their more indirect effect on our body rhythms. Their presence, by turning night into day, tend to imbalance the circadian rhythms—the regular cycles of rising and falling body temperature, variations in body chemicals, etc., that naturally occur approximately once every 24 hours. The result may be what three West German photobiologists have called "light stress."
Research on the Psychological Effects of Artificial Lighting
Researchers have studied the question of how lighting conditions affect mental stability for decades. In the 1940s, Luckiesh and Moss studied how fifth- and sixth-graders in well-lit and poorly lit classrooms performed on the New Stanford Achievement Test. Those in well-lit classrooms scored significantly higher than those in poorly lit classrooms. Since then, numerous researchers have studied the effects of fluorescent lighting. In a 2002 Guardian News article, Michaele Wynn-Jones investigated fluorescent lighting in prisons. Wynn-Jones concluded that fluorescent lighting is a likely cause of the headaches, depression and sleep disorders prisoners frequently experience.
Symptoms and Risks
According to researchers at the H.E.S.E project, the most common symptoms of having been exposed to too much fluorescent lighting and too little natural lighting are headaches, mood swings, irritability, insomnia and inappropriate behavior. Ott further notes that continuous exposure to fluorescent lighting can lead to a depletion of the brain chemical serotonin. Known as a mood stabilizer, serotonin helps to keep mood disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder and depression at bay. Depleting the natural resources of serotonin in the brain can thus have serious and lasting consequences for emotional stability.
Natural Light in Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder
In recent years, full-spectrum lighting has been used in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) through the use of "light boxes" that mimic natural sunlight, which may not be available in some areas during the winter months.
Lightbox therapy, otherwise known as phototherapy, is a recognized modality for depression (such as SAD). It is also the primary treatment for circadian rhythm sleep disorders.
Prevention
The best way to prevent the detrimental effects of fluorescent lighting is to increase your exposure to natural lighting. According to Ott, full-spectrum fluorescent lighting has fewer detrimental health effects than cool-white fluorescent lighting. Full-spectrum fluorescent lighting emits some radiation waves in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum. But even full-spectrum fluorescent lighting emits some microwave radiation.
Global Environmental Benefits
The use of natural light bulb and/or tubes has been shown in independent studies to reduce the use of energy consumption, which will realize over 300 million dollars in energy savings according to government calculations. Reduced energy consumption also means reduced greenhouse gas emissions helping our environment from a global perspective. The use of natural light will help in reducing over 3 billion pounds of CO2 emissions from being pumped into the atmosphere by electric plants. That's the air pollution reduction equivalent of taking over 314 thousand cars off the road. Simply changing from standard incandescent lighting to a natural lighting saves energy and helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions--a major component of the gases most experts believe is responsible for global warming.
Green for the Environment and People Friendly As Well
One example of a natural light bulb/tube is the OttLite, created by Dr. Ott. The output of a 32 watt OttLite tube is roughly equivalent to that of a 150 watt incandescent bulb. So, they use about ¼ the amount of energy for the same amount of light. However, it's not just about energy-savings, it's also about the quality of the light.
Bring True Colors Indoors
The use of natural light, like the OttLite, can reduce the ailments stated above, which translates to a happier work environment, increased productivity, increased focus, and reduced time-off from work. The use of natural light bulbs/tubes also has other benefits from a personal health standpoint.
• Reading is easier
• Colors are vibrant
• Details are clear
• Low heat
• Glare reduction
• Energy efficiency
If you choose to help the Earth while still being engaged in your health and the health of your loved ones, a simple method to begin is just to change your lights to natural (full-spectrum) lights. You will be doing the world and all who live on her a great service.
THE VIRTUAL SACRED CIRCLE OF NATIONS
One People. One World. One Spirit... We Are One!
The Virtual Sacred Circle of Nations (VSCN) brings together spiritually like-minded people into a virtual group circle to share current world events,information, and to provide spiritually-centered healing sessions for to assist in the creation of a spiritually and heart-centered reality. In sharing our knowledge and wisdom with others we all grow together in Spirit as One!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Sidereal/Tropical Astrology, Ophiuchus, and Your True Sign
Do you think you're a Leo because you were born on July 24th? You may want to rethink your answer after reading this article.
Had there been a total solar eclipse at the moment of your birth, and had it been dark enough to let the stars come out, people looking at the eclipse would have seen it in the constellation Cancer. In fact, most people aren't the "sign" they think they are, but instead were born under the previous "sign."
This “error” in astrological calculation is due to an astronomical phenomenon called "precession of the equinoxes," a phenomenon discovered in 130 BC by Greek astronomer Hipparchus and known to Claudius Ptolemy, another astronomer, who was a Roman Citizen living in Egypt. This “error” is evident when comparing birth chart calculations between the sidereal system and the tropical system of astrology.
Sidereal and tropical are the terms for two systems of ecliptic coordinates used in astrology. Both divide the ecliptic into a number of "signs" named after constellations, but while the sidereal system defines the signs based on the fixed stars, the tropical system defines it based on the position of vernal equinox (i.e. the intersection of the ecliptic with the celestial equator Because of the precession of the equinoxes, the two systems do not remain fixed relative to each other but drift apart approximately one degree every 70 to 72 years.
A tropical system was introduced by Ptolemy in the 2nd century and remains prevalent in western astrology. A sidereal system is used in Hindu astrology, and in some 20th-century systems of western astrology.
While classical tropical astrology is based on the orientation of the Earth relative to the Sun and planets of the solar system (seasons), sidereal astrology deals with the position of the Earth relative to both of these as well as the stars of the celestial sphere. The actual positions of certain fixed stars, as well as their constellations, is an additional consideration in the horoscope. (Over very long astronomical time scales, these fixed stars are of course themselves far from stationary.)
Sidereal/Tropical Beginnings
A few centuries before the Common Era, some Greek astrologers decided to fix the zodiac on the equinox points rather than on the stars. This is the beginning of the Tropical Zodiac. In his astrological pursuits during the mid-First Century, Ptolemy noticed that the spring equinox occurred at 0*0'0" sidereal Aries. Ptolemy's translators misunderstood him, making the Tropical Zodiac the preferred zodiac in the west. The equinoxes had other plans, though, and the discrepancy between "signs," and the constellations they took their names from, is approximately 24 to 25 degrees -- almost a full "sign"!In the 1940's, an astrologer named Cyril Fagan was working with charts called Solar Returns. Solar returns are charts which are cast for the moment when the Sun returns to the place where it was when a person was born, in order to determine what issues they'll be facing until their next birthday. Every astrologer knew these charts were terribly inaccurate. While trying to solve the Solar Return problem, an exasperated Fagan eventually took a cue from Vedic Astrology (aka jyotish) and tried correcting for precession. Suddenly, Solar Returns were accurate. The Sidereal Zodiac was back. Amazingly, Fagan spent about twenty-five years doing creative work in tropical or traditional Western astrology before turning his attention to the tenets of siderealism. His book, Primer of Sidereal Astrology, is a core resource in that specialized field."
Ophiuchus Emerges
In 1995, Walter Berg, a British astrologer, introduced his 13-sign zodiac, which has the additional sign of Ophiuchus. Berg's system has been well-received in Japan after his book was translated by radio host Mizui Kumi in 1996.
A small number of sidereal astrologers wish to include other constellations, such as Ophiuchus, in their zodiac and use 13 signs instead of 12. This results in a system completely unrelated to the zodiac as described by Ptolemy. While Ptolemy noted that Ophiuchus is in contact with the ecliptic, he was aware that the twelve signs were just conventional names for 30 degrees segments (especially since the Aries sign had ceased to be in contact with the Aries constellation already in his time).
For the purpose of determining the constellations in contact with the ecliptic, the constellation boundaries as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1930 are used. For example, the Sun enters the IAU boundary of Aries on April 19 at the lower right corner, a position that is still rather closer to the "body" of Pisces than of Aries. Needless to say, the IAU defined the constellation boundaries without consideration of astrological purposes.
The dates the Sun passes through the 13 astronomical constellations of the ecliptic are listed below, accurate to the year 2002. Again, the dates will increment by one day every 70 to 72 years, and already several have changed. The corresponding tropical, sidereal, and astronomical (Sun in Constellation) dates are given below:
The Final Outcome
Generally, when I analyze astrological charts I use both sidereal and tropical systems for an overall view of what is occurring. During my research and studies, I have seen a trend that leads me to believe that the tropical system addresses the emotions and potential future of people as well as addresses the purpose of the person’s soul in their current incarnation. Similar conclusions can be made when we look at the seasons of the Earth, which the tropical system is based on. What changes occur to the Earth can and will in many cases affect us as well.
The sidereal system has lead me to believe that it addresses what our core foundation is and what kind of energy and past issues (karma) we have come into this life with. This can be likened to fueling up your car in preparation for a long journey. You can’t have one system without the other. Both tropical and sidereal are needed to determine the potential of the individual body, mind, and soul. Ophiuchus as a 13th zodiac sign just adds a deeper and a more profound dynamic, which I feel should also be included in the overall analysis of a chart.
Ultimately, use discernment in the analysis of your life journey. No person can tell you how your life should and will be. Only you can determine your journey. Use whichever system feels right for you because it all works when intuition is applied. Your focus determines your reality. Focus on your journey and not the destination and you might find yourself realizing that your journey followed the path of your astrological chart…!
Namaste,
David-Uriel “Eagle Heart”
Had there been a total solar eclipse at the moment of your birth, and had it been dark enough to let the stars come out, people looking at the eclipse would have seen it in the constellation Cancer. In fact, most people aren't the "sign" they think they are, but instead were born under the previous "sign."
This “error” in astrological calculation is due to an astronomical phenomenon called "precession of the equinoxes," a phenomenon discovered in 130 BC by Greek astronomer Hipparchus and known to Claudius Ptolemy, another astronomer, who was a Roman Citizen living in Egypt. This “error” is evident when comparing birth chart calculations between the sidereal system and the tropical system of astrology.
Sidereal and tropical are the terms for two systems of ecliptic coordinates used in astrology. Both divide the ecliptic into a number of "signs" named after constellations, but while the sidereal system defines the signs based on the fixed stars, the tropical system defines it based on the position of vernal equinox (i.e. the intersection of the ecliptic with the celestial equator Because of the precession of the equinoxes, the two systems do not remain fixed relative to each other but drift apart approximately one degree every 70 to 72 years.
A tropical system was introduced by Ptolemy in the 2nd century and remains prevalent in western astrology. A sidereal system is used in Hindu astrology, and in some 20th-century systems of western astrology.
While classical tropical astrology is based on the orientation of the Earth relative to the Sun and planets of the solar system (seasons), sidereal astrology deals with the position of the Earth relative to both of these as well as the stars of the celestial sphere. The actual positions of certain fixed stars, as well as their constellations, is an additional consideration in the horoscope. (Over very long astronomical time scales, these fixed stars are of course themselves far from stationary.)
Sidereal/Tropical Beginnings
A few centuries before the Common Era, some Greek astrologers decided to fix the zodiac on the equinox points rather than on the stars. This is the beginning of the Tropical Zodiac. In his astrological pursuits during the mid-First Century, Ptolemy noticed that the spring equinox occurred at 0*0'0" sidereal Aries. Ptolemy's translators misunderstood him, making the Tropical Zodiac the preferred zodiac in the west. The equinoxes had other plans, though, and the discrepancy between "signs," and the constellations they took their names from, is approximately 24 to 25 degrees -- almost a full "sign"!In the 1940's, an astrologer named Cyril Fagan was working with charts called Solar Returns. Solar returns are charts which are cast for the moment when the Sun returns to the place where it was when a person was born, in order to determine what issues they'll be facing until their next birthday. Every astrologer knew these charts were terribly inaccurate. While trying to solve the Solar Return problem, an exasperated Fagan eventually took a cue from Vedic Astrology (aka jyotish) and tried correcting for precession. Suddenly, Solar Returns were accurate. The Sidereal Zodiac was back. Amazingly, Fagan spent about twenty-five years doing creative work in tropical or traditional Western astrology before turning his attention to the tenets of siderealism. His book, Primer of Sidereal Astrology, is a core resource in that specialized field."
Ophiuchus Emerges
In 1995, Walter Berg, a British astrologer, introduced his 13-sign zodiac, which has the additional sign of Ophiuchus. Berg's system has been well-received in Japan after his book was translated by radio host Mizui Kumi in 1996.
A small number of sidereal astrologers wish to include other constellations, such as Ophiuchus, in their zodiac and use 13 signs instead of 12. This results in a system completely unrelated to the zodiac as described by Ptolemy. While Ptolemy noted that Ophiuchus is in contact with the ecliptic, he was aware that the twelve signs were just conventional names for 30 degrees segments (especially since the Aries sign had ceased to be in contact with the Aries constellation already in his time).
For the purpose of determining the constellations in contact with the ecliptic, the constellation boundaries as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1930 are used. For example, the Sun enters the IAU boundary of Aries on April 19 at the lower right corner, a position that is still rather closer to the "body" of Pisces than of Aries. Needless to say, the IAU defined the constellation boundaries without consideration of astrological purposes.
The dates the Sun passes through the 13 astronomical constellations of the ecliptic are listed below, accurate to the year 2002. Again, the dates will increment by one day every 70 to 72 years, and already several have changed. The corresponding tropical, sidereal, and astronomical (Sun in Constellation) dates are given below:
The Final Outcome
Generally, when I analyze astrological charts I use both sidereal and tropical systems for an overall view of what is occurring. During my research and studies, I have seen a trend that leads me to believe that the tropical system addresses the emotions and potential future of people as well as addresses the purpose of the person’s soul in their current incarnation. Similar conclusions can be made when we look at the seasons of the Earth, which the tropical system is based on. What changes occur to the Earth can and will in many cases affect us as well.
The sidereal system has lead me to believe that it addresses what our core foundation is and what kind of energy and past issues (karma) we have come into this life with. This can be likened to fueling up your car in preparation for a long journey. You can’t have one system without the other. Both tropical and sidereal are needed to determine the potential of the individual body, mind, and soul. Ophiuchus as a 13th zodiac sign just adds a deeper and a more profound dynamic, which I feel should also be included in the overall analysis of a chart.
Ultimately, use discernment in the analysis of your life journey. No person can tell you how your life should and will be. Only you can determine your journey. Use whichever system feels right for you because it all works when intuition is applied. Your focus determines your reality. Focus on your journey and not the destination and you might find yourself realizing that your journey followed the path of your astrological chart…!
Namaste,
David-Uriel “Eagle Heart”
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Mercury Retrograde (Tropical System) March 30-April 23, 2011
Generally, when I analyze astrological charts I use both sidereal and tropical systems for an overall view of what is occurring. But in the case of a Mercury Retrograde I use the tropical system because in my research and studies a Mercury Retrograde affects the emotions of people as well as addresses the purpose of the person’s soul in their current incarnation. So here’s the latest information on our current Mercury Retrograde.Mercury rules thinking and perception, processing and disseminating information and all means of communication, commerce, education and transportation. By extension, Mercury rules people who work in these areas, especially those who work with their minds or their wits: writers and orators, consultants, commentators and critics, gossips and spin doctors, salespeople, teachers, travelers, tricksters and thieves. Mercury also has an occult side, so healing, astrology and the transmission of spiritual knowledge are also in his area.
Mercury retrograde gives rise to personal misunderstandings; flawed, disrupted, or delayed communications, negotiations and trade; glitches and breakdowns with phones, computers, cars, buses, and trains. And all of these problems usually arise because some crucial piece of information, or component, has gone astray or awry.
It is not exactly wise to make important decisions while Mercury is retrograde, since it is likely that such decisions will be clouded by misinformation, poor communication and careless thinking. Mercury is all about mental clarity and the power of the mind, so when Mercury is retrograde these intellectual characteristics tend to be less acute than usual, as the critical faculties are dimmed. Make sure you pay attention to the small print!
The key issue here is one of focus. Mercury's retro phase tends to bring unforeseen changes and blockages, but the aggravation and frustration that many of us experience during these periods is often due to our own inability to roll with the punches. This may be due to a common human trait… ego-fixation.
Mercury sets out to restructure our thinking processes and for many of us this is painful and frustrating. Unresolved issues from the past tend to push themselves forward. Moreover, these experiences reveal flaws in our internal organization as well as our external planning, which can make us feel foolish and inadequate. Stay alert and aware of yourself and your surroundings; Mercury retrogrades gives us the chance to find out just what has been missed!
Mercury retrograde, like any cosmic aspect, affects people differently, depending on where it hits their personal charts. Some people actually prosper under Mercury retrograde, especially if Mercury is retrograde but is well-aspected in their birth charts. It is also a time when matters began under a previous retro period will come to fruition. Firm decisions that have been previously made when Mercury was travelling normally through the zodiac may be implemented or finalized while Mercury is retrograde without too much worry.
When Mercury is retrograde, everyone's thinking is more introspective; we tend to think about issues and concerns that relate to the sign involved. With Mercury retrograde beginning in Aries this time around, people with this sign prominent in their charts will be especially prone to such introspection. Aries is a Cardinal Sign, so the other cardinal signs, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn are also likely to experience more than their fair share of disruption, given that we are all under the powerful Cardinal Cross aspect that has been turning the world inside out for some months already.
Just remember, your focus determines your reality. Because of the dynamics involved during this Mercury retrograde now is the best time to go within and make a change for your spiritual growth and the betterment of our world.
Note: A Cardinal Sign involves Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Also known as Moveable Signs, Cardinal Signs stand for the seasonal changes, marking the four quarters of the year. Cardinal signs on the angles of a chart denote prominence in related fields.
A Cardinal Cross occurs when planets form a Grand Cross in Cardinal Signs. This is especially important when located in the early degrees of the signs. When the nodes, Jupiter, Saturn and the outer planets are involved, major social changes are indicated.
David-Uriel "Eagle Heart"
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